ID :
43387
Fri, 01/30/2009 - 20:58
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/43387
The shortlink copeid
Gaza aid inadequate: aid groups
Australian aid agencies are concerned that the assistance getting through to people in Gaza is only a "trickle", not the flood that is required.
The government on Friday detailed how it would distribute $2 million in funding to
five Australian non-government organisations that are delivering emergency help to
the Palestinian territory.
It is part of a $5 million package of assistance announced on Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has flagged further assistance as part of a United
Nations emergency appeal aimed at raising $US613 million ($A940 million).
"We will obviously look very sympathetically at the secretary-general's appeal for
reconstruction and rebuilding," Mr Smith told ABC Radio.
"We will make a contribution, you can be reliably assured of that."
The government would see what other countries were doing and decide what sort of
contribution, cash or technical expertise, was more appropriate.
Aid agencies have welcomed the governments' funding but are worried their colleagues
working in Gaza are experiencing problems getting the aid to people in need.
The United Nations has warned aid shipments are hitting bottlenecks at Gaza's
borders with Israel and Egypt.
More than 1,300 people died during the three-week war, including more than 400
children, and there are continuing concerns about how long the current ceasefire
will hold.
World Vision chief Tim Costello said access was the real problem for aid groups.
"Unless we can really facilitate this aid getting through then the humanitarian
suffering will intensify," he told reporters.
"At the moment it's too slow. At the moment it's a trickle when it needs to be a
huge pipe (of aid)."
Michael Raper, from the Australian Red Cross, said although the bombing had stopped,
the humanitarian need was extreme in Gaza.
"There is virtually no electricity, there's massive water supply problems, there are
medical supply problems," he said.
"Of the 12 hospitals, seven of them have taken big hits, medical supplies have gone
up in smoke.
"We need to get food, water, medical supplies into Gaza quickly to address this
extreme humanitarian need."
Bob McMullan, the parliamentary secretary for international development assistance,
said the government acknowledged the need to get the aid through to the people of
Gaza.
Australia would examine the efforts of United States Middle East envoy George
Mitchell, who held talks with Palestinian officials on Thursday as part of his
maiden trip to the region.
"(We will) see whether that provides some avenues," Mr McMullan said.
The government on Friday detailed how it would distribute $2 million in funding to
five Australian non-government organisations that are delivering emergency help to
the Palestinian territory.
It is part of a $5 million package of assistance announced on Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has flagged further assistance as part of a United
Nations emergency appeal aimed at raising $US613 million ($A940 million).
"We will obviously look very sympathetically at the secretary-general's appeal for
reconstruction and rebuilding," Mr Smith told ABC Radio.
"We will make a contribution, you can be reliably assured of that."
The government would see what other countries were doing and decide what sort of
contribution, cash or technical expertise, was more appropriate.
Aid agencies have welcomed the governments' funding but are worried their colleagues
working in Gaza are experiencing problems getting the aid to people in need.
The United Nations has warned aid shipments are hitting bottlenecks at Gaza's
borders with Israel and Egypt.
More than 1,300 people died during the three-week war, including more than 400
children, and there are continuing concerns about how long the current ceasefire
will hold.
World Vision chief Tim Costello said access was the real problem for aid groups.
"Unless we can really facilitate this aid getting through then the humanitarian
suffering will intensify," he told reporters.
"At the moment it's too slow. At the moment it's a trickle when it needs to be a
huge pipe (of aid)."
Michael Raper, from the Australian Red Cross, said although the bombing had stopped,
the humanitarian need was extreme in Gaza.
"There is virtually no electricity, there's massive water supply problems, there are
medical supply problems," he said.
"Of the 12 hospitals, seven of them have taken big hits, medical supplies have gone
up in smoke.
"We need to get food, water, medical supplies into Gaza quickly to address this
extreme humanitarian need."
Bob McMullan, the parliamentary secretary for international development assistance,
said the government acknowledged the need to get the aid through to the people of
Gaza.
Australia would examine the efforts of United States Middle East envoy George
Mitchell, who held talks with Palestinian officials on Thursday as part of his
maiden trip to the region.
"(We will) see whether that provides some avenues," Mr McMullan said.
